Media Listing September 2016

Global

Passage through Mexico: the global migration to the US: This article highlights the plight of African and Asian migrants traversing the Americas in the hope of a better life in the US. An estimated 7,882 Africa and Asian migrants have been recorded by the Mexican immigration between January and July 2016. (The Guardian – 06/09/2016)

East African lawmakers seek views on human trafficking: A group of East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) members meet in Kigali, Rwanda to consult local institutions and get input on the EAC Counter-Trafficking in Persons Bill drafted by EALA in the wake of rising trafficking cases in the bloc. (The Herald – 07/09/2016)

EU should focus more on regional governance in Africa: In view of the current migration crisis in Europe, the author of this article argues that migration in Africa should be addressed within a regional framework focusing on sub-regional economic organizations to foster organized labour migration, both inter and intra regionally. (EurActiv – 12/09/2016)

Refugees see mobile connectivity as critical lifeline – new UN report: According to a report released by the UNHCR, many refugees view access to a mobile phone and the Internet as being as critical to their safety and security as food, water and shelter. The report recommends additional investments in increasing availability of mobile networks, improving affordability and training to enhance connectivity for refugees. (UN News Centre – 14/09/2016)

U.N. ‘Global Compact’ may prove regressive for Africa’s migrants: In the run up to the UN Summit on Addressing Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants, the author of this article argues that any quick-fix strategy focused on Syrian refugees might not bode well for migrants who fall outside the 1951 Refugee Convention. (News Deeply – 14/09/2016)

The end of migrants as we know them?: The author of this article examines the use of the term ‘migrants’ since it became a matter of contention in 2015 to the way it is currently being perceived from an ‘inclusivist’ or ‘residualist’ perspective. (Jorgen Carling – 20/09/2016)

World Bank releases $300m for Syrian refugees in Jordan: The World Bank announces it will release USD 300m in loans to help facilitate the labour market for Syrian refugees in Jordan. The funds will be used to attract investors and create reforms that will help grant access to the Syrian labour force, the Bank said in a statement. (Middle East Eye – 28/09/2016)

Turkish police withdrawal from Greece stalls EU migration pact: According to UNHCR, parts of the EU- Turkey migration deal have effectively been suspended due to the withdrawal of Turkish liaison officers from Greek islands. The failed coup attempt in Turkey reportedly disrupted key institutions such as the coastguard and immigration authority. (The Guardian – 01/09/2016)

Greece rejects taking in more refugees from EU states: Greece rejects the reactivation of the Dublin regulations which allows other EU member states to send refugees back to the country, saying that Greece already hosts a large number of refugees “practically without any outside help” (Al Jazeera – 09/09/2016)

Calais migrants: Hollande sets out plan to close Jungle camp: French President François Hollande announces that his government intends to close the Calais camp and move 9,000 migrants to reception centres across France. In addition, migrants will be given up to four months to seek asylum. (BBC – 24/09/2016)

EU launches debit cards for refugees in Turkey: EU launches a scheme worth almost 350 million euros providing mainly Syrian refugees in Turkey with pre-paid debit cards. The refugees will be able to use the cards to pay for basic necessities and each card will be topped up with USD 33.5 every month. (Middle East Eye – 26/09/2016)

Merkel: We need migrant deals with African states like EU-Turkey pact: German Chancellor Angela Merkel suggests that EU needs to establish migrant deals with Egypt and Tunisia, along the lines of the agreement it already has with Turkey. According to Angela, such deals are important to prevent illegal immigration while more development aid is required to deal with the root causes of migration. (Reuters – 26/09/2016)

Asylum seekers in UK 'face longest wait for work permit in Europe': According to a report by Migration Policy Centre, Britain is one of the worst countries in Europe at integrating asylum seekers into the labour market. Asylum seekers must wait for 12 months before applying for a work permit unnecessarily increasing their dependency on the welfare system. (The Guardian – 29/09/2016)

EU's secret ultimatum to Afghanistan: accept 80,000 deportees or lose aid: According to a memo leaked to the media, EU is secretly planning to threaten Afghanistan with a reduction in aid if the war-torn country does not accept at least 80,000 deported asylum seekers. Afghanistan nationals make up the second largest group of migrants arriving in Europe. (The Guardian – 28/09/2016)

Egypt blames EU-Turkey deal for refugee spike:Egypt blames the EU-Turkey migrant deal for a spike in migrants and refugees in the country urging EU to provide more assistance to deal with the influx. "We are not getting enough support. I don't want to mention any examples with a country bordering you [EU], which has got 6 billion dollars in help," said Egypt's assistant foreign minister ambassador Hisham Badrhe. (EU Observer – 01/09/2016)

Migrants lured by sex into Egypt's backstreet kidney trade, says report: Fresh reports indicate that brokers in Egypt’s underground trade in human organs are using prostitutes to tempt migrants to sell their kidneys. In July 2016, there were reports that African migrants were being killed for their organs in Egypt if they failed to pay smuggling fees. (Reuters – 02/09/2016)

Egypt: 'harassment' of Darfur refugees in Egypt: Sudanese from Darfur region who fled to Egypt complain that they are being harassed and sometimes arrested by Egyptian police. According to the article, the UNHCR has rejected asylum claims from the Sudanese, a move that has left the Sudanese in dire humanitarian situation. (All Africa – 09/09/2016)

Egypt finalising legislation to combat 'illegal immigration': Sisi:Egypt’s president Sisi says that the Egyptian government is finalising the legislation to combat illegal migration from the country. “There is no way to stop the flow of illegal immigration except through addressing its main roots and opening up doors for legal migration,” he said. (Ahram Online – 19/09/2016)

Egypt recovers over 160 bodies from sunken migrant boat: Following a ship wreck off the coast of Rosetta, east of Alexandria, Egyptian authorities say they have recovered 162 bodies and rescued 163 survivors. The boat was carrying an estimated 450 migrants mainly young Egyptians in their late teens and their early to mid-20s. The death toll is expected to rise. (New York Times – 23/09/2016)

Fears of migrant ‘Exodus’ from Egypt: According to this article, EU is watching the migrant situation in Egypt after an increase in sea crossings and claims by president Sisi that five million migrants were already in Egypt waiting to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe. (Breitbart News – 27/09/2016)

New legislation in Egypt toughens penalties on migrant traffickers: Three parliamentary committees in Egypt approve a legislation aimed at stemming the flow of irregular migration. The bill which is to be discussed when parliament resumes in October, imposes stiff penalties to migrant smugglers and families who allow their members to join irregular flows. Also proposed is the establishment of a national anti-illegal migration and human trafficking commission. (Ahram Online – 28/09/2016)

EIB to loan Ethiopia $200 million for migrants jobs scheme: European Investment Bank is set to lend Ethiopia USD 200 million to build two industry parks that will employ an estimated 100,000 people including 30,000 refugees in a move aimed at curbing mass migration to Europe. (Reuters – 21/09/2016)

Ethiopia is creating 100,000 jobs to tackle its refugee problem: UK announces it will join the EU and World Bank to support a programme meant to create 100,000 jobs for Ethiopians including 30,000 refugees, as part of a wider campaign to tackle irregular migration from the country. The UK will contribute USD 103 million. (Quartz Africa – 26/09/2016)

Eritrea

Eritrean hopes of asylum in Israel boosted by new ruling: A special appeals court for refugee issues in Israel rules that the Israeli state must re-evaluate the refugee status for all Eritreans currently in Israel illegally. The court overruled the Interior Ministry’s legal interpretation that Eritreans who had deserted military conscription in their country would not be entitled to refugee status on the ground that fleeing military service does not amount to being persecuted. (Newsweek – 05/09/2016)

Kenya

Kenya: Involuntary refugee returns to Somalia: Human Rights Watch expresses concern over Kenya’s repatriation program for Somali refugees arguing that it is fuelled by fear and misinformation and that it does not meet international standards for voluntary refugee return. (Human Rights Watch - 14/09/2016)

Kenya’s Dadaab: How Not to Close a Refugee Camp: The author of this article criticizes Kenya’s move to close Dadaab refugee camp arguing that the world should be expanding asylum space and championing innovative solutions for long-term refugee populations instead of “rebranding war as peace and refoulement as voluntary.” (News Deeply – 14/09/2016)

Kenya faults global community over Kenya's refugee burden: Kenya’s deputy president criticizes the international community for failing to address the refugee crisis and leaving the responsibility to developing countries. Only less than one percent of USD 500 million pledged by international community to facilitate the repatriation of Somali refugees has been financed. (Daily Nation – 19/09/2016)

The U.N. is sending thousands of refugees back into a war zone: This article examines the recent decision by Kenyan government to shut down Dadaab refugee camp and accelerate the voluntary repatriation of Somali refugees. Based on interviews with returnees in Somalia, the article concludes that the repatriation exercise is “not only coercive but haphazardly executed and unsupported by any long-term plan to prevent returnees from becoming de facto refugees in their own country” (Foreign Policy – 26/09/2016)

Libya

Libya: Money, food running out for Sudanese stranded in Libya: According to this article, thousands of Sudanese nationals are stranded and facing difficult humanitarian and health conditions in the port city of Tobruk on Libya's Mediterranean coast after waiting for two months for evacuation assistance from the Sudanese government. (All Africa – 04/10/2016)

UN Chief: 235,000 more migrants in Libya ready to embark for Italy: The head of UN Support Mission in Libya, Martin Kobler, warns that there are 235,000 migrants in Libya “just waiting for the opportunity to go to Italy, which they will.” Kobler added that the root problem, which is “the poverty of the countries of origin,” must be seriously addressed if Europe wishes to slow the migration flows. (Breitbart News – 15/09/2016)

IOM Libya: Migration and assistance overview, 9 - 22 September 2016: According to the IOM, an estimated 130,567 arrivals were recorded by sea to Italy since the beginning of 2016 to 21 September 2016 with the main countries of origin being Nigeria, Eritrea and Gambia. 12,582 migrants were rescued in the same period (Reliefweb – 24/09/2016)

Kobler calls for protection for migrants, decriminalisation of illegal migration: UN Special Envoy Martin Kobler calls for end to illegal migrants being arbitrarily detained, abused and treated as criminals. “The plight of migrants travelling through Libya, particularly those from Sub-Saharan Africa, is horrific and “utterly unacceptable”, said the envoy during the UN Human Rights Council annual meeting in Geneva. (Libya Herald – 28/09/2016)

Somalia

U.N. worried La Nina will worsen 'dire' drought in Somalia: UN announces that the La Nina weather phenomenon is likely to worsen drought and hunger in Somalia, especially in the north where many people are migrating in search of water after four failed rainy seasons. Some 4.7 million people already need humanitarian aid. (Reuters – 01/09/2016)

South Sudan

South Sudan approves additional UN peacekeeping forces: South Sudan consents to the addition of another 4,000 UN peacekeeping troops to the existing force of 14,000 soldiers after intense pressure from the UN and other global powers. There are widespread human rights concerns in South Sudan following an escalation of conflict in July 2016. (Jurist – 05/09/2016)

South Sudan threatens to sue US watchdog group: South Sudan officials say the country will take legal action against the US-based advocacy group, The Sentry, after a report published by the group accused the nation's leaders of profiting from country's violent three-year conflict. (Jurist – 14/09/2016)

U.S. condemns South Sudan opposition leader's call for renewed war: The US strongly condemns South Sudan’s opposition leader calls for a return to war against government saying it was inexcusable and showed a lack of concern for the well-being of the people. Riek Machar and his allies ordered their forces to mobilize for armed resistance against the South Sudanese government. (Reuters – 28/09/2016)

Sudan

Sudan says it is combating illegal migration "on behalf of Europe": In a press statement, Sudanese authorities say they are combatting illegal migration and human trafficking on behalf of Europe, pointing out the challenges encountered in the undertaking. The Sudanese officials urged Europe to enhance their support to the country saying that the RSF forces could abandon their mission and allow illegal migrants to cross to Europe. (Sudan Tribune – 30/08/2016)

More than 800 African migrants arrested in Sudan in two months - Police: Sudanese authorities announce that more than 800 African migrants who attempted to reach Europe through Libya and a group of smugglers were arrested in Sudan, near the border with Libya, between June and August 2016. Of those arrested, 347 were Eritreans, 130 Ethiopians and 90 Sudanese nationals. (Africa News – 31/08/2016)

Italy has forcibly deported Darfur migrants back to Sudan: Details emerge about a group of 48 Sudanese migrants who were forcibly deported by Italian authorities. According to one of those deported, the Sudanese were detained by Italian police with the help of Sudanese authorities who helped to identify them and upon return to Khartoum, they were arrested and tortured by Sudanese authorities. (Quartz Africa – 02/09/2016)

The Case for migrants in South Africa: Amid a spate of xenophobic attacks against migrants in South Africa, anthropologist Zaheera Jinnah defends their presence, arguing that they contribute to the labour market with their mixed skills and informal employment. (News Deeply – 08/09/2016)

South Africa joins 14 others countries in anti-trafficking programs: South Africa is the latest country, among 15 other countries, that have joined the EU and the UNODC programme dubbed, Global Action to prevent and address Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants (GLOACT). The global initiative aims to strengthen efforts towards collective collaboration in the fight against human trafficking. (The Citizen – 11/09/2016)

Illegal African migrants detained in Yemen: Dozens of Ethiopian migrants are arrested in Yemen’s second city of Aden on suspicion that they might be recruited to join militant groups in the county. The head of security in Aden is quoted saying, “we believe our enemies (rebels) Huthis and (former President) Ali Abdullah Saleh are recruiting them to fight in the war against our son in the south.” (Africa News – 20/09/2016)

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